Automatic feeders can be a great tool to help keep your cat’s schedule predictable (and prevent you from being woken up for breakfast). While there used to be few options for wet food automatic cat feeders, there are more and more available these days. Of course, they can be a little tricky to adjust your cat to using so here on some tips on helping your cat make the switch.
Keep It Familiar
Don’t plop the brand new wet food feeder down in a new location that your cat has never been fed before. If possible, set it up near where they normally get fed. Start by feeding them out of their regular food bowl and eventually consider putting the food bowl on top of the wet food feeder. If possible, open the automatic wet food feeder and feed them using their bowl in the feeder to start.
This helps them make the association between the feeding machine and their food bowl so it won’t be quite as much of a stretch to eating out of a different bowl.
The Power Of Predictability
Cats thrive when their world is predictable. Feeding them at the same time you plan to have the wet food automatic feeder go off using their bowl is a good idea. This helps build that association between the feeder opening and eating so they know where to go.
Make It Worth Their While
Rather than using their wet food, use their favorite treats in the automatic feeder. Top the food off with a Churu or even some dry treats in the feeder. If your cat prefers kibble, you can use kibble or a mix of kibble and wet food in the automatic feeder to transition them.
Some automatic feeders will cool your cat’s food using ice packs, while others like the Polar from PetLibro, use a refrigeration system. This keeps the food from growing all sorts of gross things, but it can make the food less stinky. Cats decide what to eat partially based on smell so they may not be as enticed to eat if the food is cold.
Try heating up your cat’s food slightly and skipping the ice packs to transition them. If you’re using the Polar feeder, you can open the feeder using the app. Just place the slightly warmed food in the feeder and open it up right away.
Go Slowly
Break down the process into smaller steps rather than trying to transition your cat to using the wet food automatic feeder instantly. Going slowly may mean:
- Feed them near the automatic feeder as outlined above
- Feeding them from the bowl of the automatic feeder outside the feeder itself
- Feeding part of a meal in the feeder at first, but most of their meal in their regular bowl
- Only doing one meal in the automatic feeder per day until the cat is reliably eating out of it
Know When To Change Tactics
Don’t just keep doing the same thing over and over. You might need to try a few strategies. That’s totally normal. You could consider a different automatic feeder as your cat may take to it better. All you can do is try something and see how your cat responds.
Don’t Starve Your Cat
Most importantly, whatever you do, don’t withhold food from your cat in order to force them to use an automatic feeder. It’s not only cruel, but it’s dangerous. Cats who don’t eat for too long can have serious medical complications. Some cats may not take to an automatic feeder or a particular type of automatic feeder. Regardless of your cat’s response, you still need to feed them!
